1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compact wine coolers. In particular, the present invention relates to compact wine coolers adapted for (1) maintaining the temperature of a small collection of wine bottles at a preferred temperature, while also simultaneously (2) maintaining a proper humidity level within the storage device, (3) providing a preferred horizontal storage orientation for the bottles, and also (4) providing a completely dark environment which keeps the bottles from exposure to harmful light.
2. Background of the Invention
The art of storing wine has been studied and practiced since wine was invented. Four of the most important factors to consider when storing wine are: (1) maintaining the optimal storage temperature, (2) maintaining an optimal storage humidity, (3) keeping the wine from direct exposure to sunlight or artificially generated light, and (4) storing the bottles in a horizontal orientation.
It is generally accepted that wine should normally be stored between 50–60° F., although a range of 45–65° F. is considered acceptable and the most easily maintained by the normal collector. The optimal temperature for storing wine is 55° F. A lower, colder temperature causes the aging process to slow down, preventing the wine from aging properly. A higher, warmer temperature causes premature aging. If wine is kept over 85° F. for even a single month, irreparable damage is done to it. What hurts wine the most is temperature fluctuation. Along these lines, a steady storage at 65° F. is regarded as being better than storage which fluctuates from 45° F. to 65° F. and then back again 45° F. every day. One of the effects of this cycle in temperature is that the cork is pulled in and out via intrabottle pressure changes that can allow air to get in to the wine, which is detrimental. Also, cold temperatures can be just as bad. For instance, storing wine or champagne in a refrigerator for too long tends to compromise the redeeming qualities of the beverage.
The second factor to monitor during wine storage is humidity. Preferably a medium-high humidity (about 60–75%) is preferred. Although humidity fluctuations are not as bad for wine as temperature fluctuations, humidity still can impact the wine. Low humidity dries out the cork, even if the bottle is properly stored on its side in order to keep the cork moist. If the cork dries out, oxygen can migrate into the wine bottle—a rare occurrence, but still something to be monitored. Also, high humidity tends to destroy the labels which are used verify the winery from which the wine was made and the date the wine was bottled, information of which is quite important to most wine aficionados.
Also, the wine bottles should be kept away from direct exposure to sunlight or artificial light, since the sun and/or light can also cause the wine to deteriorate prematurely. Therefore, it is ideal to have the wine stored in complete darkness. And finally, as already mentioned, the bottles should be stored on their sides in a horizontally oriented manner so that the cork does not dry out. Therefore, in general, a storage environment with a constant temperature between 50–60° F. and a medium-high humidity (about 60–75%) that always stays dark and of which stores the bottles horizontally is the optimal wine storage environment.
To accomplish the aforementioned storage requirements, most serious wine aficionados have traditionally stored their wine bottles in wine cellars which are designed to meet the temperature, humidity, darkness and horizontal storage requirements. However, most casual wine consumers do not have the financial resources to own their own personal wine cellar, much less keep the cellar stocked with expensive vintage high quality wines. Instead, most wine consumers tend to focus on the quality of the wine they have purchased or acquired, while being somewhat unsophisticated in their storage techniques.
For example, typically, the average wine consumer either utilizes a standard simple wine rack in their home (e.g., lattice type structure) which is designed to store from just a few bottles to numerous bottles (i.e. a couple dozen). Most wine racks merely provide a structural device which assists one in efficiently storing the wine bottled in the recommended horizontal orientation in a safe yet accessible spot within the home, such as the kitchen, dining room, lounge or other suitable areas of the home. However, the other critical wine storage parameters typically are not met. In this common scenario, the wine is usually stored at the temperature of the home, which averages around 72° F., while also fluctuating from daytime to evening 10–15° F. The wine racks further typically do not provide any feature to control humidity. Moreover, most common wine racks tend to be open-styled display racks which prominently display the bottles of wine. Unfortunately, such common design for wine racks does not provide a continuous dark storage environment which is recommended.
There are prior art wine cooling devices, such as mini-refrigerators, which have been around for several years. These mini-refrigerators typically use the same mechanical components as larger conventional refrigerators, including evaporators, compressors and condensers. A drawback with such mini-refrigerators is that they typically are not as compact as one would wish, they tend to be noisy, and they are not power efficient. Furthermore, compressors and their motors are both subject to wear and freon-filled coils are subject to leakage and costly repairs. Finally, the aforementioned conventional mini-refrigerators tend to have very little aesthetic appeal.
Recently, compact wine (and/or beverage) coolers or refrigerators which utilize thermoelectric cooling systems have become quite popular. Thermoelectric (T.E.) refrigeration uses a principle called the “PELTIER” effect to pump heat electronically. The advantages of thermoelectric cooling devices or “couples” are numerous. For instance, thermoelectric devices are smaller than the conventional cooling components (e.g. evaporators, compressors, and condensers), and as a result, save space and weight. Very little space is required by thermoelectric cooling systems. For example, some thermoelectric modules may only be the size of a penny or matchbook. Moreover, T.E. devices are even considered to be more reliable than conventional cooling systems, having a forty year proven track record in military, aerospace, laboratory, and now consumer applications. Additionally, thermoelectric devices are environmentally safer than condition refrigerator systems. For instance, the system contains no hazardous gases.
As a result of the advantages thermoelectric cooling devices present, recently there have been numerous compact thermoelectric wine coolers and/or beverages refrigerators offered to the public. Although many of them are adapted to provide ideal storage temperatures, many still underemphasize the need to maintain the proper humidity, darkness and even horizontal orientation storage requirements. For instance, a popular style of a thermoelectric cooler may store anywhere from a few bottles to over two dozen bottles in a square or rectangular cabinet in the proper horizontal orientations. Some of these cabinets have glass see-through front doors so that the bottles can be prominently displayed. Other, small and compact wine coolers or refrigerators only accommodate the wine bottles in a standing orientation. Furthermore, humidity control features appear to not be readily available on wine coolers. Moreover, most wine coolers tend to not have any redeeming qualities with respect to aesthetic design. Instead they tend to look like small appliances, such as mini-refrigerators.
There is an apparent need for a compact wine cooler which meets all the basic storage requirements (i.e., proper temperature, humidity, darkness, and horizontally stored orientation). Ideally, the wine cooler device would be compact such that it takes up minimal space in the home or place of use. For instance, it would be ideal to provide a wine cooler device which has a low-profile which can fit on a kitchen counter underneath overhead cabinets, or be positioned atop a buffet cabinet or a table. Moreover, not only should the proposed wine cooler meet these aforementioned functional objectives, it should also be designed to have some redeeming aesthetic characteristics which would allow one to integrate the wine cooler into a designer kitchen, dining room, lounge or any other suitable area in the home. That is to say, it is important to provide a compact wine cooling and humidifying device that is capable of properly storing a few expensive bottles of wine in optimal conditions, while at the same time providing an appliance that does not look like or have the noise of a conventional mini-refrigerator.